- Wayne Rooney is expected to be announced as Plymouth’s new manager
- The 38-year-old was sacked by Birmingham in January after two wins in 15 games
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Wayne Rooney is expected to be appointed manager of Plymouth Argyle tomorrow on a three-year contract.
The former Manchester United and England striker held positive talks with the Championship club’s football director Neil Dewsnip on Friday.
The 38-year-old, who knows Dewsnip from his time at Everton, is eager to return to management after his unfavorable spell as manager of Birmingham City ended in January.
Under former England youth coach Ian Foster, Plymouth escaped relegation on the final day of the season, with a 1–0 win over Hull City enough to see them overcome defeat.
That victory also condemned Rooney’s former club to relegation to the third tier for the first time in almost three decades.
Wayne Rooney is expected to be announced as Plymouth manager within the next 24 hours
The 38-year-old is set to return to the dugout since being sacked by Birmingham
Rooney replaced John Eustace at St Andrew’s in October, with the club finishing fifth in the Championship after losing three of their first eleven games.
The appointment proved unpopular among the club’s fanbase, and Rooney managed just two league wins during his three-month tenure as Birmingham dropped to 20th in the league.
Birmingham’s form continued to falter following Rooney’s dismissal, and they ultimately suffered relegation despite an upturn in form during the final weeks of the campaign.
Despite his time in the West Midlands ending in failure, Rooney insisted the experience did not deter his ambitions to secure a return to the dugout.
“I definitely want to get back into management,” he claimed in February.
Plymouth escaped relegation on the last day of the season and condemned Birmingham to the drop
“What happened in Birmingham was a setback, but I’m a fighter and I want to get back to it.
‘You know that as a manager (being fired) is part of the job and that you will face setbacks. It’s all about how you bounce back. I was able to reflect and will make sure it goes well next time.’